For a bride, there is so much to remember when planning the wedding — invitations, a dress, flowers, the site, the caterers, the cake, the photographer — the list goes on and on. In the midst of all these things, don't let a very important piece of the plan be forgotten — your smile!

Your wedding will be celebrated every year on your anniversary and commemorated in beautiful photos at any time. It is a special occasion you, your family, and your friends will always remember. But how will you and your family look in those photos? You have an opportunity to get makeovers that will make your smiles shine radiantly, and not only in your album. Your makeover will improve your appearance, your self-confidence, and your oral health far into the future.

Start with a visit to your dentist to assess your current situation and discuss your goals and dreams. Each person's situation will be different. At a minimum you may need a professional cleaning to make sure that your teeth and gums are healthy. Get started on treating any cavities or gingivitis (gum inflammation). If you haven't already, now is a great time to establish healthy dental hygiene habits including proper daily brushing and flossing.

You may feel that your teeth are discolored and need to be whiter and brighter. Your upper and lower jaws may not meet properly for the most effective biting and chewing. Your teeth may be crowded or misshapen. All these things and more can be modified and repaired with today's dentistry.

Teeth can be whitened by bleaching in the dentist's office or with products that can be used at home under a dentist's supervision.

Orthodontia may be needed to repair your bite. Today orthodontia may be done either with traditional braces, or with clear aligners. Remember that this process works slowly, so start well in advance of your wedding day.

After your teeth are properly aligned, your dental team can work on subtle contouring, overall shape and color changes for individual teeth, using techniques such as porcelain laminate veneers. Temporary veneers can be made so that you can try out your new look before the final installation.

Wedding planning works best when started early. To make sure you, your new spouse, and your family look and feel their best, remember to include smile makeovers in your plan.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your questions about wedding smile makeovers. You can also learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Wedding Day Smiles.”

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped “cap” or cover that we place over a tooth that is badly damaged from trauma or decay to restore its shape, strength, size and functionality. We also use them for cosmetic reasons to improve a tooth's appearance with natural, life-like results. Crowns are generally handcrafted by dental laboratory technicians using high-quality dental porcelains (ceramic materials) that are made to fit on precise replicas (molds) of the prepared teeth. In our office, we generally make temporary crowns to protect the teeth to keep them comfortable and functional while the permanent crown(s) is being made. And once a crown is placed (cemented into position), it fully encases the entire visible portion of the tooth that lies at and above the gum line.

When Are They Necessary?

There are many reasons a crown may be needed. Some of these include:

• To repair a tooth that is worn down, broken or badly damaged by decay or injury.
• To restore a tooth so severely damaged by decay that the tooth's structure is no longer intact enough to place a filling or where a filling can't restore the tooth to its former strength.
• To protect a tooth that has minor cracks or fractures from further damage.
• To create a bridge to replace a missing tooth, in which the teeth on either side, known as abutments, must be “crowned” to attach to the “pontic” (from the French word, “pont” that means bridge).
• To create the visible part of the tooth that sits atop a dental implant.
• To improve the appearance of a tooth providing a more appealing shape and color.

To learn more on this topic, read the Dear Doctor article, “Porcelain Crowns & Veneers.” You can also contact us to discuss your questions or to schedule a consultation.

In a recent online poll conducted by Dear Doctor, the premier oral healthcare resource for consumers, 77% of those polled planned on visiting their dentist prior to their wedding. For some, this includes a thorough cleaning to remove stains and freshen both their smile and breath. However, a growing number of brides, grooms, and parents of the couple are seeking cosmetic dentistry or more specifically, a smile makeover, to transform their smile for their special day as well as their future.

If this describes your situation, take the first step towards the smile you have always wanted. To create your ideal smile, we will first meet with you to get to know you better and hear your concerns, goals, expectations and wedding day timeline. Bringing in photos or magazine images of smiles that you consider beautiful will help to ensure that we understand what you find attractive, as beauty can vary greatly from individual to individual. During this initial consultation, you will also learn about your smile makeover treatment options and what you could expect immediately prior, during and following each option.

Some subtle improvements we may consider are teeth whitening and bonding. Both of these options can take place in just a few office visits and produce very attractive results. Porcelain veneers and crowns can provide you with longer-term results that can last from 10 to 20 years. However, because they typically require 1 to 4 months advance notice, it is important to see us as soon as possible to ensure you have enough time before your special day. Another procedure that can play a dramatic role in your smile makeover is periodontal plastic surgery to improve and alter your gum tissues and their relationship to your teeth. For example, the appearance of “short” teeth can be corrected by lengthening them during a surgical procedure that has minor discomfort yet results in a life-long change.

Want to learn more?

Contact us today to discuss your smile makeover questions or to schedule an appointment. You can also learn more by reading the Dear Doctor article, “Planning Your Wedding Day Smile.”

Projecting a healthy, radiant smile can help boost self-confidence and lead to increased comfort and success in both personal and career-oriented situations. Yet, many people are unhappy with their less-than-pearly whites, causing them to avoid social interaction and even lose out on opportunities because they are too self-conscious.

Your dissatisfaction with the appearance of your teeth may also be causing you to stifle one of nature's most endearing and intrinsic impulses, simply smiling!

For example, do you:

• Avoid posing for pictures that require a smile?
• Cover your mouth when speaking or laughing in public?
• Avoid dating because you feel unattractive?
• Feel that people think less of you because your smile is flawed?
• Think your smile makes you look older than you are?

If you've answered yes to any of these questions, you are certainly not alone. A poll conducted by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry found that, while a whopping 99.7% of respondents said they considered a good smile to be a highly important social asset, only 50% of those same respondents indicated that they were satisfied with their own smile. In addition, the Academy reported that people between the ages of 31 and 50 are most unhappy with their smile, are most concerned with making a good first impression through a strong smile, and most frequently seek out information on cosmetic dentistry.

The good news is that advances in cosmetic enhancement and restorative dentistry, including treatments like teeth whitening and the application of porcelain veneers to correct tooth crowding, make it possible for anyone to enhance or improve their smile and boost their self-image. And a complete “Smile Makeover” has been shown to positively impact the perception that others have with respect to attractiveness, popularity, and even wealth — all based on the quality of a person's smile.

Our office can work with you to determine just what it will take to improve your smile and self confidence from as little as a minor enhancement to a complete smile makeover — anything that would best match your idea of the perfect smile. To get started, give us a call.

To read about others who have regained their confidence after brightening and whitening their smiles through cosmetic dentistry, read the Dear Doctor magazine article “The Impact of a Smile Makeover.”

When it comes to cosmetic dentistry, we have numerous techniques that we can use to produce a dazzling smile while restoring or helping you maintain optimal oral health. From tooth whitening and gum contouring to bonding and veneers, see how much you really know about cosmetic dentistry by playing our matching game.

1. Whitening
2. Bonding
3. Enamel shaping
4. Orthodontics
5. Veneers
6. Crowns and bridgework
7. Implants
8. Gum contouring

1. ______ is a minor surgical procedure in which we alter the position of the gum tissue and sometimes even the underlying bone.
2. ______ is a treatment option that is not permanent and may require several applications to achieve the desired color results.
3. ______ is a restorative technique that involves applying an a tooth colored filling material (composite resin) to a tooth that is color-matched and shaped to restore a decayed or damaged tooth.
4. ______ is a treatment option for restoring heavily damaged teeth or replacing missing teeth.
5. ______ is a procedure in which small amounts of enamel, a tooth's outer layer, is removed to reshape it to improve the look of a tooth.
6. ______ is a minor cosmetic procedure in which we apply a peroxide-based material to bleach out minor stains and discoloration from teeth.
7. ______ is a procedure in which we permanently replace a missing tooth by attaching a crown (artificial tooth) to a titanium post that has been surgically placed within the jaw.
8. ______ is a treatment option in which teeth are aligned into a proper position giving a more attractive appearance. It is often used in conjunction with other cosmetic procedures.
9. ______ is a cosmetic technique where we place a custom-designed, thin shell of tooth-colored material (usually porcelain) to the front surface of a tooth.
10. ______ is the most common technique for repairing chipped, broken or decayed teeth. It may also be used to alter the shape of a small or irregular tooth.

Answers: 1) H. 2) A. 3) B. 4) F. 5) C. 6) A. 7) G. 8) D. 9) E. 10) B

To learn more about cosmetic and restorative dentistry, continue reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Beautiful Smiles by Design.” Or you can contact us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your specific questions.